What genre do you read the most? I love to read because ___________________ .

I generally read fantasy more than any other genre. Honestly reading is escape for me and fantasy does it more than any other genre. You can see that in my favorite books; American Gods, The Magicians, Dresden Files,What was your favorite book read last year? What’s your favorite book so far this year?

There were a lot of great books last year; The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland and Led the Revels There (Fairyland, #2), This Is How: Proven Aid in Overcoming Shyness, Molestation, Fatness, Spinsterhood, Grief, Disease, Lushery, Decrepitude & More. For Young and Old Alike., The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel, and Warm Bodies to name a few.

This year there have been no stand out reads so far. There have been some good ones but nothing wonderful. I think I would pick The Necromancer’s House as my favorite so far, but I would certainly say it is not going to be everyone’s cup of tea.What is your favorite blogging resource?

I use a site called Photo Pin. And actually it came out of a discussion from last year’s BEA about ethics and accountability. It was a discussion about how you use resources like book summaries and photos and such and I realized that I was ethically not the blogger I wanted to be. So I started, from that point on, to credit all summaries and to only use Creative Commons pictures and credit those as well. Photo Pin is a web site that allows you to search flickr for creative commons photos. It also provide a lovely html create source for you to use. (See above photo and credit line) Fabulous work!

Share your favorite book or reading related quote.

The one that is one my email signature is:

“Wear the old coat and buy the new book.” – Austin Phelps

but there are so many others.

“We read to know we’re not alone.”― William Nicholson, Shadowlands

“It is well known that reading quickens the growth of a heart like nothing else.”

― Catherynne M. Valente, The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in a Ship of Her Own Making

“My parents would frisk me before family events. Before weddings, funerals, bar mitzvahs, and what have you. Because if they didn’t, then the book would be hidden inside some pocket or other and as soon as whatever it was got under way I’d be found in a corner. That was who I was…that was what I did. I was the kid with the book.”― Neil Gaiman

“5 1/2 centuries after its 1.0 release, the book is a surprisingly robust piece of information technology. Sure, its memory is relatively tiny–one novel adds up to less than a megabyte. But it doesn’t need charging, and it never crashes. Its interface is rapidly and intuitively navigable. The scroll never stood a chance.”

― Lev Grossman

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”

36 thoughts on “Armchair BEA 2014 – Introductions”

Loved your intro post! I’ve been in a very fantasy reading mood lately and have almost polished off The Name of the Wind in the past week. Hoping to finish it today. I also loved The Ocean at the End of the Lane last year, and I have Warm Bodies waiting on my TBR!

I just talked to two of my author friends and once a book cover is released it is fair game to anyone. They (publishers and authors) want the images circulated as much as possible (free advertising). No permission, or credits, needed as long as it is the book cover and not just the untitled artwork the cover was printed from. No worries!!

Also just had a discussion about book jacket blurbs, synopsis, and summary. If it is from the published book they are also fair game. They want their books to be blogged about much as possible, again, free PR!! I always quote the Goodreads synopsis and just title it “Goodreads”, easy as pie! The publishers and authors don’t want you to be afraid to blog about their books.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane was one of my favorites from last year, too. Seems like I read unusually many great books this year, but I’m with you in thinking that nothing I’ve read this year has really been great. Some have been very good, but nothing earth-shattering so far this year. :-/

Those Fairyland books have so many amazing quotes – those are some of my favorite reads of last year as well! I’m also a major fantasy reader. I’m making my way through Dresden right now – just finished Changes and am still in recovery!!

I listened to Warm Bodies on audio and really enjoyed it. I haven’t seen the movie yet and I’m not sure that I will. I’ve also been meaning to read American Gods for years! I haven’t heard of PhotoPin but need to check it out.

Love your quote collection, especially that Neil Gaiman one… soooo funny, and one a lot of us can likely relate to! My parents always made me leave my book in the car for big events, but luckily were cool about it most every other occasion.

I read Fairyland #1 and loved it but haven’t gotten to the next books in the series…. a novella, yes, but not the books. On my to-do list!
Great quotes, I really love the Stephen King one. Saved the best for last… lol.
Great meeting you!